1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motorized slotting device with oppositely reciprocating blades. The device is held so that the blades are in juxtaposition to the area to be cut, and thus may make plunge cuts with closed ends in materials such as but not limited to wood.
2. Scope of the Prior Art
As part of building a model such as an airplane model, a modeler must attach certain moving parts such as but not limited to a rudder, elevator and aileron to the frame of the model using hinges. To attach a hinge to the frame, the modeler generally makes several small slots or pockets in the frame of the model and in the parts to be joined by hinges.
Traditionally, the modelers use a knife or other unpowered slotting tool to manually cut the appropriate size slots or pockets to receive the hinges. The process of manually cutting such slots is difficult and tedious. Because it is necessary to apply significant force to make the knife or other tool penetrate the material, it presents a significant risk of breaking the model frame, particularly if the frame is constructed of thin pieces of delicate, soft wood such as balsa wood. In addition, slots cut with a knife are often poorly aligned and the wrong size to fit the hinge. Thus, the use of conventional methods of cutting slots in models poses several problems for a modeler, namely, risk of breaking the model frame, physical difficulty in manipulating the knife or tool through the wood, and inappropriately aligned and sized slots and pockets.
Saws and knives with oppositely reciprocating blade action are disclosed in the prior art. However these saws and knives are what is generally known in the industry as "cut-offs," i.e., saws which are used for cutting off a section of a board or pipe. These saws or knives generally cut a piece of material off from the main body of the material, or require that a channel be cut from an edge of the material to the position where the slot or pocket is desired. In addition, these saws or knives are generally too large for use by a modeler, and the action of such tools is generally too coarse and aggressive for use in making models.
In contrast, the present invention is designed for making "plunge" cuts, in which the blades are held in juxtaposition to and directly over the area to be cut, and the slot or pocket is carved out of the material by using blades that penetrate directly into any surface of the material, creating a slot having a variable depth. Such cuts have a continuous perimeter, and need not penetrate the material completely if a pocket instead of a slot is required.
Thus, there is a need for a motorized tool for cutting slots or pockets for instance in models, which may be manipulated and supported by a single hand, and which is capable of making plunge cuts of various depths. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become obvious to the reader and it is intended that these objects and advantages are within the scope of the present invention.